Seat is yet to release pictures of the car, but insiders have confirmed it will look sporty.

It will offer more space and practicality than the existing five-door hatchback, but it won't be a squared-off car such as the Cordoba Vario from 1996. Instead, the company prefers to use the word 'notchback', suggesting the car's rear end will be more sharply sloping than traditional estates.

Full details of the range are yet to be confirmed, but Seat says the ST will cost more than the current five-door hatchback and that it will come with a limited range of engines.

Insiders say there could be as few as four engines, split equally between TSI petrol units and TDI turbodiesels.